Improvement in wagon-tracks for roads



0. H. MATTHIESSEN. Wagon-Tracks for Roads.

No. 211,173. Patented 1a; 7,1879.

WITNESSES 7 Q ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CONRAD H. MATTHIES SEN, OF ODELL, ILLINOIS.

1 IMPROVEMENT IN WAGON-TRACKS FOR ROADS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 211,173, dated January7, 1879; application filed September 6, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CONRAD H. Mnrrnrns SEN, of Odell, in the county ofLivingston and State of Illinois, have invented a new and ImprovedWagon-Track for Roads, of which the following is a specification:

In some parts of the country, especially on the prairies, the roadsbecome impassable for wagons at some seasons of the year, in consequenceof the mud and ruts. This is mostly caused by imperfect drainage and thecharacter of the soil, and where. gravel can only be obtained by haulingit long distances at great expense no remedy has been devised.

The invention will first be described in connection with the drawings,and then pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents a road-bed with thetracks laid therein. Fig. 2 is an elevation of one track, partially insection, and showing the manner of splicing the ends. Fig. 3 is across-section of the road; and Fig. dis a perspective view of the end ofa length of track.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A is the road-bed, and B B the tracks, that are laid a suitable distanceapart, so as to permit the wheels of wagons to run upon them. The tracksare composed of three pieces-a center piece or rail, a, upon which thewheels run, and side pieces, b c, that are bolted or spiked to thecenter piece, a. The side pieces, I) and 0, project at the upper andlower side of the piece a, so as to form projecting flanges, the outerflanges, d, at the upper side serving to retain the wheels upon thepiece a. The lower projections, 2', rest upon the ground, and the spacethereby formed beneath the piece a serves as a drain, which is to beconnected at intervals with cross-drains for carrying of the water. Thesize of the pieces (0,1), and 0 will be according to circumstances,such. as the amount of travel.

The adjacent ends of the lengths of track are cut with inclines inopposite directions, as shown in Fig. 4. The center piece, a, is cutwith an incline, e, and the side pieces, 6 c, are cut with the inclinesf g in a direction opposite to the incline 0, so as to prevent the endsmoving vertically, and the cuts are made so that the joints will bebroken, or not in line.

The lengths of track are to be laid in an excavation that is first dugout a sufficient depth and the bottom covered .with gravel. The track isthen put in place and the space at the side of the track filled in withgravel, broken brick, or similar material that will hold the track inplace and permit the water to run readily through. The ends of thelengths of track may have a board placed beneath them I to prevent themsinking and to retain the trackmore securely and prevent heaving byfrost. Stakes kare to bedriven at each side of the track at suitabledistances apart.

This wagon-track will render roads passable when they would otherwisenot be fit for the travel of horses and wagons. It is the wagonwheelsthat cut up the road but if desired the space between the wagon-tracksmight be boarded over for the horses to travel upon.

I am aware that it is not new to make a grooved street-rail of two barsof iron bent outwardly at top and bottom and bolted together in themiddle, a drain being formed between the two bars or rails with beveledends; but my object is to form a cheap and readily-constructed device,made of timber, and adapted to meet the exigencies of a new country. Inmy device the water can only reach the drain by percolating through theballast in which the rail is bedded.

What I claim is A wagon-track each rail of which is formed, of threeperpendicular wooden pieces, a b 0,

CONRAD H. Mnrrnrnssnn.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. ScRrBnR, Tnos. N. BROWN.

